Cold Rain, Warm Hands
by RealImaginings
Summary: When Adrien gets frustrated with his fater, he transforms into Chat Noir and leaps out into the cold, rainy night. He never expected he would find any comfort but he ends up landing on the right balcony. Marichat One-shot. A little sad, a touch of angst, a dab of humor and lots of fluff.


Disclaimer: I don't own MLB or any characters in it. This is all just for fun.

Also, happy three year anniversary for MLB. This will be my first MLB fanfic.

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Chat Noir sprinted across rooftops and bounded over the streets of Paris. Almost mindlessly, he let his body carry him nowhere in particular. He guessed he must have been at this for an hour or so, not that he cared to count the minutes. The rain poured heavily from the sky, as it had been for half of the day. Street lights and illuminated windows were blurred in a blanket of the steady downpour and the smell of wet concrete hung heavily in the air. The late fall night of November had also made the rain cold as ice. Chat Noir hardly took notice. Recent events tormented his mind.

Being overworked and tired was bad enough. All of his usual free time had been filled with photo shoots and fashion lineups for nearly a month. Adrien had worked hard to make sure all of his photo shoots were as perfect as they could be, not wanting to be booked for re-shoots. On top of that, he still had his school work, piano lessons, fencing, Chinese lessons and all the usual activities. Thankfully Hawk Moth was being quiet lately. Though Adrien missed seeing his Lady, he couldn't help but hope that Hawk Moth stayed quiet for a little while longer.

Adrien's body ached and his mind was tired and foggy. As such, Adrien was looking forward to spending some time with his friends today. It was only supposed to be a few hours of video games at an arcade with nearly all the students from his class, minus Chloe and Sabrina, who rarely partook in any video games. A short break filled with air hockey, pinball and maybe a round of laser tag. Adrien had been looking forward to it all week, feeling confident that he had more than earned it.

Adrien informed his father about it a week in advance, noticing the gap in his schedule. To Adrien's surprise, his father agreed quickly, barely looking up from his computer screen. At first, Adrien thought his father's quick reply to be a sign that he too thought his son had earned a few hours of recreation. Adrien told Nathalie about it and she had arranged for his bodyguard and herself to accompany him as needed. So, to his surprise and dread, that morning he was informed that he was scheduled for another photo shoot that would force him to miss his trip to the arcade. Adrien didn't even let Nathalie finish before he questioned her about it. She told him that it was by his father's orders. Adrien nearly bumped into her as he ran past her towards his father's office.

When confronted about the change, his father denied ever having agreed to letting Adrien go with his friends to the arcade. When Adrien tried to refresh his memory, Gabriel only got more annoyed with him. "Regardless of what I agreed to," he said firmly with a scowl, "your schedule and photo shoots are more important, Adrien. You should know that." Adrien stared at his father with a blank, stoic expression but he was boiling on the inside. "Plus, winter is right around the corner and there will be no rest until the season is done."

Before Adrien could protest further, his father had already turned away. Adrien clenched his fists. He wanted to shout at his father and call him out for having gone back on his word. However, it was clear that getting angry at his father would get him nowhere if he was lucky. More than likely he would have been forbidden to even see his friends at all until his father was done with him. Adrien lowered his head in defeat. "Yes, father," he deadpanned. Adrien walked back to his room to prepare for his day.

The photo shoot didn't go well. Typically, Adrien was good at putting on all of the faces and poses that the photographer needed. However, his sour mood had followed him all day and seemed to increase as the hours went on. Gabriel wasted no time in bringing this to his son's attention. "If this is about earlier, then I advise you to think about your priorities, Adrien," his father told him sternly. Adrien had to fight the scowl that threatened his lips. "You should know that your future takes priority over whatever activities you do with your _friends_." Adrien could hear the disgust in his father's voice when he uttered the word 'friends' and he could no longer control his anger.

Adrien raised his chin defiantly and looked Gabriel in the eye, mirroring his cold expression. He could see his father's eyes widen slightly in surprise. "My future?" Adrien said quietly. He had begun to shake with rage while his breathing increased. "My future as what, father? Your _puppet_?" Adrien nearly spat out the word 'puppet', his voice slowly growing louder. Gabriel looked as if he was about to respond but Adrien didn't let him. "Day in and day out I do exactly what you expect me to do...what you tell me to do. That's my future!" Adrien shouted. He heard Nathalie gasp behind him. "I'm nothing but a doll in a dollhouse! Perfectly sculpted, perfectly painted, only moving and set into place whenever you see fit! All in the name of," Adrien raised his hands, gesturing finger quotes. "perfection! My future isn't even mine! Neither is my life as it is now!" he roared.

A dreadful smirk pulled at Adrien's lips. He glanced away from his father and started to laugh bitterly. "You know, it's funny," he said, his voice taking on a tone of mock humor. "My photo shoot didn't go well. It's a shame I'm not making any of the right faces." Glancing back at his father, his face turned sour again. "Like father, like son, right?" At this, Adrien could see his father's eyebrows furrow slightly, as if in thought. "I guess you'll just have to get used to seeing this face, father." Adrien shrugged, turned and walked out the door without another word, noting Nathalie's wide eyed expression. He walked briskly to his room and shut the door, hoping that he'd be left alone. It was then that Plagg came out from hiding.

"Wow, kid. that was hands down the most depressing thing I've ever heard you say," he said sincerely, hovering just in front of Adrien's face. "Please don't tell me you're actually going to wear that face from now on." Adrien could hear the concern in Plagg's voice. It made him feel better but only marginally.

"Who knows, Plagg," Adrien sighed, flopping face down onto his bed. "Is it bad for me to wish for an akuma?"

"Keep making that face and there will be one in no time," Plagg said bluntly. "You want to see Ladybug?"

"That would be optimal but taking out some frustration on an akuma also sounds nice." Adrien rolled over on his back, spreading his arms on the mattress. "Just being Chat Noir would make this day better by miles. Nobody tells Chat Noir what to do." Adrien sat up suddenly and looked at Plagg. Plagg's eyes widened in realization.

"Oh no no no, it's raining ice water outside!" Plagg protested while pointing out the window. Adrien ignored him.

"Plagg, claws out!" In a flash of green light Adrien was now his alter ego. He wasted no time launching himself out the window. The cold air hit his body and lungs like a truck, chilling him instantly but he didn't care. His frustration and anger fueled his limbs as he tried to let the rush of adrenaline consume him. A monumental sense of freedom and the ability to go wherever he wanted helped ease the feeling of being chained down by the expectations of others.

Chat Noir sprinted all around Paris. He raced to the Eiffel Tower, scaled its height, then jumped off the top just because he could. He vaulted over the Seine. He slid down the Louvre as if he were on a skateboard. Chat Noir let the rush overcome him. However, it did not last as long as he wished.

Soon the adrenaline wore off and he was starting to feel the bite of the cold air. Each drop of rain was like a tiny needle in his face. He was pretty sure that the ends of his hair had small ice crystals forming on them. His eyes stung terribly and his body began to shiver. It was as if the cold was reminding him that his freedom was only temporary. Chat Noir's heart fell to his stomach and he began to feel nauseated. He stopped running, landing heavily on a flat surface, not even bothering to check and see where he was. His mind was heavy. He slumped into a cat-like crouch, hanging his head, cat ears drooping, staring blankly at the raindrops falling onto whatever roof he was on. Rain fell off his suit in streams. His head pounded with a headache and his lungs felt like they were about to freeze solid. Chat Noir's thoughts were just as cold.

The freedom he felt only minutes before seemed like a distant memory now. Reality crashed into him. He would eventually need to return home and live out his life as an image of perfection. Chat Noir was never truly free. The rain was enough to confirm that. Chat Noir could go anywhere and do whatever he wants. Yet, the great Chat Noir, guardian of Paris, was reduced to this. A sopping wet stray cat alone on a roof, shivering in the rain. The stress was beginning to catch up to him and he felt his eyes become wet with tears. At some point he thought he heard a voice calling his name but was too spaced out to really notice. When the voice didn't speak again he figured he must have imagined it. The minutes that passed all but confirmed it. _Who would even be looking for me anyway?_ he thought bitterly. _Who is going to think that super heroes have problems?_

Feeling lonely, he let his tears fall, not caring anymore. For a moment he wondered if he was going insane. Baring his teeth in frustration he scraped his claws across the stone beneath him, leaving shallow gashes. He faintly heard some louder splashing from behind him but paid it no mind, thinking that it was probably drops falling off of a drain or ledge. Then he heard something else that caught his attention. The sound of rain falling on something else. A light tapping against something that almost sounded hollow. Suddenly he realized rain was not hitting his head anymore. He glanced up and with his night vision he made out the dark shape of an umbrella.

Before he had the chance to turn and see who or what brought the umbrella over him, most of his vision was cut off by a large cloth being draped over his head and shoulders. It was slightly rough in texture. _A towel?_ , he guessed. What was even more surprising was that the towel was very warm. He felt an elbow lightly rest against his back, elevating a hand that was likely holding the umbrella. Just as Chat Noir was lifting the towel from his face, a hand, soft and warm, pressed against his right cheek and turned his head.

"You okay, Chat Noir?" said a girl's voice just as her face came into view. It was Marinette. Chat Noir took in her face. A frown pulled on her lips and her brows were knitted in worry. Chat Noir had begun to wonder if he was dreaming. All of his pent up stress and loneliness had left his mind hazy, so he stared, unbelieving for a moment. "Chat Noir?" she questioned again. Chat Noir felt tears surge back to his eyes. He tried to say something but the only thing that came out was a choked sob. The hand on his face slipped to the back of his head, pulling him gently toward her. Instinctively, he rested his forehead on her collarbone while she laid her cheek on his head. Chat Noir felt his mind become a mess of his earlier stress and the sudden relief of seeing a friendly face. His breath hitched constantly as he tried to control his emotions. Closing his eyes, he leaned into her, trying to take whatever comfort he needed to calm down. Though his mind wasn't entirely ready for that.

Chat Noir felt Marinette nuzzle his hair through the towel while her hand came back to his cheek. She gently stroked the corner of his eye, wiping away a tear. "Shh..." The sound soothed him slightly. His breathing calmed and his tears stopped but he was still shaking. Suddenly he felt her hand on his shoulder. Marinette moved to stand, slowly pulling him up with her. "Come on," she said. "Come inside." Chat Noir suddenly felt his mind clear. He was on Marinette's balcony in the middle of the night, she came out into the cold wearing pajamas that he recognized from the day she and him tried to hide from all of his crazed fans. That meant she wasn't dressed for cold weather. Now she's allowing him entry to her room. Suddenly he felt as if he was being rude.

"Are you sure?" he asked weakly, his voice cracked slightly.

Marinette nodded. "Come on," she insisted, pulling on his arm. "Your cheeks feel like ice." Chat Noir could feel the fading heat from the towel, the cold air making its presence known again. It was also clear that Marinette wouldn't take no for an answer. He let Marinette pull him to the opened hatch that led to her room. A soft light from a small lamp could be seen through the opening. Marinette closed her umbrella, hopped down onto her bed and shuffled over to let him jump down. Landing in a crouch, Chat Noir reached up to close the hatch behind him. He pulled the damp towel back behind his head, revealing his wet, unruly hair.

"Here, let me take that," he heard her say. As soon as he handed her the towel, she set it in her lap and reached across the bed, picking up another towel and wrapped it around him. It was just as warm as the other towel had been. Chat Noir eagerly pulled the towel tight around his body. Just as he was about to thank her, she draped another towel around him, then another. A total of four very warm towels were wrapped around him, making him feel as though he were being swaddled. Only his head remained uncovered. The heat from the cloth eased away the chill from his body. Closing his eyes, he relished in their warmth.

Chat Noir flinched in surprise at the sudden feeling of another warm towel, a smaller one, dabbing at his hair and face. Marinette was holding the towel. "Fresh from the dryer," she said, smiling. "Nothing like it, right?"

"No kidding," he agreed. Closing his eyes, Chat Noir very much enjoying the gentle pats and scrubs that she was giving him. Before he could stop himself, he began to purr. When Marinette suddenly stopped, he looked at her questioningly.

"You can purr?" she asked, eyes widened in surprise.

"Well...I...uh..." Chat Noir glanced away nervously. "Yes," he admitted with a sheepish smile.

"Huh...the more you know," she said. He was grateful for her dropping the subject. "So, you want to tell me what's on your mind?" she asked carefully. Suddenly he wished she hadn't dropped the subject of purring. Chat Noir felt his chest tighten and he looked away. His eyes darted from left to right, trying to find the right words but the more he thought about it the more he felt like he was going to break down again. He was brought out of his dark thoughts by the sound of a lid being unscrewed from something.

Chat Noir looked at Marinette who was holding a thermos. She tilted the thermos over a mug. A golden yellow liquid poured from the mouth of the container. "Here," she said, offering him the mug. Chat Noir held the mug to his nose and sniffed.

 _Apple?_ he guessed. Carefully he sipped the piping hot liquid. His eyes widened. _Apple cider_. Taking a few more sips, he let the drink consume his thoughts for a moment and took pleasure in the heat that spread through his chest, neck and ears. "It's delicious," he finally said with a smile.

"You can thank my parents. Apple cider is popular this time of year." Chat Noir took notice that she had changed the subject again and mentally thanked her.

"Your parents make drinks?" he asked. "I thought they only baked."

"Mostly, yes. But we also offer some sweet drinks like hot chocolate, lemonade, smoothies, things like that," she explained. "Do you come to the bakery often."

"Obviously not as often as I'd like." Chat Noir raised his mug to accentuate his point. "But I've sampled some of your macarons." He remembered Chloe's party where he got to taste one of Marinette's macarons.

"Well, I've got something else that you can sample," she said while pulling out a dish from beneath some cloth. Marinette unwrapped the tin foil and allowed her hand to hover close to what looked to be a dozen triangular shaped pastries. "These are three cheese pastries. They're still warm." She held out the pan for him to take one. He could already smell them. It smelled like cheese and butter. Not like the stink that was the camembert his kwami constantly ate. This stuff smelled delicious. Chat Noir placed his now empty mug on the shelf behind the bed and plucked a pastry from the pan.

One bite and he was in heaven. "Wow, there are no words," he said honestly. "I might just take this stuff home with me." Chat Noir figured he could appease Plagg a little with some of these. He looked at Marinette questioningly.

"As long as you bring back the pan."

"By the way, it almost looks as if you were prepared for me," Chat stated curiously. He then gave her a look of mock surprise. "Are you a prophet?" Marinette let out a chuckle.

"No, I was laying in bed knitting when I heard a loud thud above my head," she explained. "When I peaked out and saw that it was you, I called to you but you didn't answer. I had a bad feeling so I ran to grab the umbrella and some towels. I remembered that there were towels in the dryer. They were on their last few minutes in the cycle, so by a stroke of luck they were perfectly warm. The cider and pastries were already here before you came. One of the perks of living above a bakery is that all the leftovers are up for grabs."

"Good to know I at least didn't wake you up." Chat Noir dipped his head slightly. "I'm sorry to bother you like this." Marinette reached a hand out towards him. With a single finger, she tilted his chin up and gave it a light rub as if he were a real cat. Chat Noir's eyes drooped and he couldn't help the crooked smile that tugged at his lips.

"You're not bothering me," she said kindly. After a moment she started to laugh, withdrawing her hand from his chin. "Especially if you make a face like that."

"Are you saying you find me amewsing?" he asked, waggling an eyebrow at her. Her only response was a fond smile that he found both perplexing and mesmerizing. Her eyes had a sort of sparkle to them, the soft light of her desk lamp making them twinkle like sapphires. Chat Noir suddenly found it hard to breathe. _I could get used to seeing that smile._ At that thought, Chat Noir became worried. "I'm not overstaying my welcome, am I?" he asked.

"Not at all, you can stay until the rain stops, or at least lets up." she said, looking at the hatch above them. Chat Noir smiled gratefully.

"That might take all night." he pointed out. Marinette shrugged.

"If that's how long it takes."

"Thank you," he said sincerely, taking her hand in his. "I really apurreciate it." Lifting her hand, he gently pressed his lips to her wrist. Marinette's face softened into a slightly sad expression that he couldn't read. Her eyes searched his in a way that made him feel as if she were seeing straight through to his soul. She pulled her hand from his grasp and reached up to cup his cheek. Chat Noir's eyes widened for a moment. Marinette gently stroked his cheek with her thumb. Sighing heavily, Chat Noir closed his eyes and leaned into her touch.

"I know that something is hurting you, kitty," she said with a somber, yet knowing smile. Chat Noir flinched at her words. Reality caught up with him. It was clear to him that all of this was only a temporary distraction. In an attempt to hide the pain, Chat Noir turned away from her gaze, though he imagined it was far too late for that. Marinette brought a hand to his other cheek, cradling his face, bringing his full attention back to her. "You don't have to tell me what's wrong if you don't want to. I won't pry. But holding it all in will only make it worse. Let me cheer you up, like you did for me." He knew she was referring to the night he showed her the candlelit rooftop he had planned for Ladybug. "You don't have to go through this alone."

Chat Noir could feel her fingers begin to thread through his hair, gently massaging his scalp. He couldn't remember the last time he received this much affection. It was addicting. Unconsciously, he scooted closer to her. Marinette wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pulling him into a hug. Chat Noir's arms encircled her waist, pulling her even closer until she was nearly sitting in his lap. The warmth of her embrace engulfed him. The scent of vanilla and cinnamon wafted from her hair. Marinette began to hum a soft tune. Her voice was beautiful and soothing to his ears. Everything about her seemed to chase away his worries.

Several minutes passed before they let each other go. Marinette busied herself with putting the pan and towels into a neat pile at the side of the loft. Chat Noir shifted his body so that she could pull the comforter out from underneath them. He watched her lay down and was unsure if she expected him to follow suit. His silent question was answered by her patting the other side of the large pink pillow. Chat Noir was both surprised and honored by how much she trusted him. As he moved to lie down, Marinette pulled the covers over both of them and turned off the light. They settled into comfortable silence for a minute before Marinette spoke. "Feeling better?"

"Much better," he said with a contented sigh. Chat Noir still felt an ache in his heart but it was dulled by the comfort of Marinette's presence. "I can't thank you enough."

"Well, I'll admit, I was in need of a little cheering up myself," she said. There was a hint of sadness in her voice.

"You were? Why? Did something happen?" he asked. With his night vision, he saw her frown sadly.

"Today I went to the arcade with all my friends from class," she started. Chat Noir listened carefully, wondering if someone had hurt her, silently vowing to cataclysm their gaming computer or console if they did. "We all planned to go but one person didn't make it." Her voice became more solemn as she spoke. "You know Adrien Agreste, right?"

"Yes..." he replied slowly. "I had to protect him and his father once or twice." Chat Noir had a feeling he knew where this was going.

"Adrien wanted to go to the arcade with us and according to Nino, he was looking forward to it since he's been so busy. His father keeps him on a strict schedule. Even more so recently. You could see it on his face, too. When I saw him in class, he looked so tired and depressed. It's been like that for several weeks." Chat Noir could see Marinette grip the corner of her pillow. The scowl she now wore was enough to make him flinch in fear. "His father forced him to cancel. When Nino told us I felt so sick I wanted to do nothing but lie down. It's times like this where all I want to do is smack Gabriel Agreste upside the head." Chat Noir was thankful for the darkness because he couldn't fight the amused smirk that formed on his face at the thought of sweet little Marinette marching up to his father and uppercutting him. Marinette's face fell again. "But there was nothing I could do." Tears started to fill her eyes.

Chat Noir reached out to her, pulling her into an embrace. Marinette flinched in surprise but almost instantly wrapped her arms around him, burying her face into his chest, letting out a few sobs and heavy breaths. Chat Noir was overwhelmed with emotions brought upon him by her words, humbled by how much she cared about him. Resting his head atop hers, he stroked her hair gently until she stopped crying.

"I just wish there was something I could do," she confessed.

"You'll think of something, I know you will. But you can't do that if you're too tired to think." Marinette hummed thoughtfully at his words. "You know, Adrien is very lucky to have you as a friend," he whispered softly. "And so am I." He could feel her smile against his chest.

Marinette pulled away just enough to look at him. "If you ever need someone, you're always welcome here," she said. He felt her hand on his cheek. " You can come talk to me anytime." Chat Noir felt a pleasant flutter in his chest.

"Me too," he said. "If you ever feel sad, lonely or even bored, just call for me. I'll come without hesitation." Marinette gave him a sly smirk.

"Even with those cat ears, I don't think you'll be able to hear me if I stand on my balcony..." she playfully pressed her finger to the tip of his nose, "yelling 'Here, kitty kitty'." A toothy grin spread across his face. His chest rumbled in a deep purr as he pressed his forehead to hers.

"Well, then I guess that means I'll just have to visit you every single day to make sure." At his words, Marinette rolled her eyes.

"Oh wow. Is this how you get a cat?" she said sarcastically.

"You _did_ feed me, Princess," he teased. "Feed a cat once and he'll keep coming back. You know that." He began to nuzzle her head with his cheek as if he were a real cat, purposefully overplaying the action. "But is that such a bad thing?" he asked with a fake whine. Marinette let out an exasperated sigh, bringing her hand up to his hair again. The rumble in his chest increased as she threaded her fingers through his blonde locks.

"I guess not," she whispered. "Just remember to knock first." Marinette let her head rest on his chest again. "Goodnight, Kitty."

"Sweet dreams, Princess," he whispered back, feeling warm and happy. Listening to the soft drizzle of rain and Marinette's steady breathing, Chat Noir felt peaceful. Soon, he fell into a deep sleep the likes of which he hadn't experienced in a very long time.


End file.
